Our Analysis

These have a refined soft leather and a high-quality feel. They are all goat skin on the palm side, meaning they are supple and soft the first day you wear them. The main wear areas are reinforced and there is a convenient clip-in loop.

The fit is not as precise as we like and we don't feel as confident handling carabiners. The surface of the leather is also more slippery than on others. The Black Diamond Crag Glove has an articulated fit that gives more confidence when handling ropes and hardware and are less expensive. These gloves are for people that love the feel of very soft gloves and don't mind a less precise fit. If you want a more durable version of these gloves, check out the Cordex Plus. They are a great glove but, at $45-50, are the most expensive glove we have seen.

Likes

These are among the softer gloves we tested because the entire glove is made of goat skin, giving a great feel through the leather. The leather is beefed up where you want it to be. They are available in black if you want that secret agent look (we did).

Dislikes

Despite having great, soft leather, the fit feels a little lose. Overall the dexterity is good, but I expected it to be easier to handle carabiners than it is. Also, the surface of the gloves is a little more slippery than with other gloves. I had to clamp down harder when lowering someone. The wrist closures are a little bulky, which might be part of why the gloves do not have the dexterity I expected. But one benefit to the bulky wrist closures is they keep your hands warm. The clip-in loops on the wrists work fine but are not as easy as those on the Metolius to clip and unclip from your harness. Because the goatskin is softer than cowhide it wears faster.

Best Application

This glove is good for belaying at the crags. It is not ideal for long rappels.